CAMRA the CAMpaign for Real Ale, is extremely proud of its hugely diverse membership. More than 85,000 individuals of all ages, backgrounds and both sexes enjoy their CAMRA membership. With over 6% of the total national membership being aged between 18-30 years old, it was felt that a section of this website should be dedicated to show the activities of this thriving group of Young CAMRA Members.
This page is here to help you find out more about CAMRAs Young Members. You'll find out about the Young Members Task Group (YMG), CAMRA Affiliated Membership for University Real Ale Societies, how you can get in touch with your local Branch Young Members' Contact (BYMC), what social events Young Members will be attending and how you can get involved.
CAMRA set up a Young Members Group (YMG) in 2000 to promote and encourage the drinking of Real Ale among young people (the 18 - 30 age group) by encouraging Young Members and young non-members to join in with the numerous social activities that are organised nationwide, as well as encouraging and supporting Young Members who want to get more involved with CAMRA locally, regionally and nationally.
The YMG has a Committee that is made up of 7 younger members who meet four times a year at venues all over the UK to discuss matters that affect Young CAMRA Members. YMG Committee Meetings are taken seriously by CAMRA because visiting Young Members are actively encouraged to add their voice to the meetings. After the Committee Meetings we always have a pub-crawl of the town/city, which are led by local Young Members, because it’s not all work, work, work!
Contact details of the YMG Committee members can be found in the Young Members Section of the CAMRA web-site by following the link to the 'Young Members Group Contacts' page.
Over 6% of CAMRA members are under 30 years old and it’s our strategic aim to increase this to 10% by the time we reach 100,000 members. About a third of CAMRA members are female.
If the Answer is 'no', then why not? Do you think its boring and made up of old men with beards and beer- bellies who wear bobble hats, anoraks, woolly jumpers, shorts and sandals? If this is your view, challenge your preconceptions by taking a look at the pictures below of young people from all over the UK enjoying CAMRA trips and events.
The St Albans Beer Festival 2006 and 2007
So why not become a more active part of CAMRA? It is rewarding, fun and will no doubt at some point involve having a few pints. What could be better?
For all young people under 26 years old, the full UK membership rate of £20 (£25 Joint) per annum, is reduced to £11 (£14 joint), reflecting CAMRA's commitment and determination to attract younger members. If you join by Direct Debit, you’ll get 15 months membership for the price of 12. Further discounted rates are available if you're a member of a University Real Ale Society that takes advantage of Affiliated Membership.
Affiliated Membership is open to University Real Ale Societies. Details about Affiliated Membership and Affiliated Membership rates are available from the CAMRA web-site here, or by contacting Tony Jerome (details below).
We can give advice on how to approach the powers that be in your University in order to set up a Real Ale Society.
CAMRA can help by providing information about Real Ale in a Bottle and breweries that can supply small casks of Real Ales, as well as providing help, information and advice on other issues. Your local CAMRA Branch Members will be able to suggest good Real Ale pubs in your area.
Affiliated CAMRA Membership could be what your University Real Ale Society is looking for and will really benefit your society members. Ask Tony Jerome about affiliation and he will tell you about the merits and incentives that this new scheme has to offer!
For full details on affiliation, phone Tony Jerome on 01727 867201, or E-mail him at tony.jerome@camra.org.uk
There is a CAMRA Young Members Google Group. The Google Group was set up as a discussion group so that Young CAMRA Members can air their views about subjects related to their membership, including Young Members social events and CAMRA policy, as well as talking about pubs, breweries, beery news. Just E-mail Gus Manning (the Chairman of the YMGC) at gusintheymgcpub@yahoo.co.uk to request to join.
The whole of the UK is covered by local Branches of CAMRA, who should be in the process of finding local volunteers to become a BYMC. This person works alongside the local Branch Membership Secretary and Social Secretary and is responsible for organising trips and events for Young Members in the local Branch area.
If you're already an active Young Member within your Branch, you could consider standing for the role of BYMC in your local Branch. There are 8 Regional Young Persons Membership Co-ordinators (RYPMCs) and over 50 BYMCs nationwide, so contact your Branch Chairman or Branch Committee if you'd like to stand for the post of BYMC in your local Branch.
Contact details of all BYMCs, RYPMCs and members of the YMGC can be found on the Young Members Section of the CAMRA web-site by following the link to the 'Young Members Group Contacts' page.
John Bishop, E-mail ask@hertsale.org.uk is the contact for South Herts Branch.
The Young Members Group Committee (YMGC)
E-mail CAMRA-YM-Committee@googlegroups.com
Information about University Real Ale Society Affiliated Membership can be found here. For more information about any aspects of Affiliated Membership and setting up a University Real Ale Society, please contact Tony Jerome, Membership Marketing Manager at CAMRA HQ, E-mail tony.jerome@camra.org.uk or phone 01727 867201.
For information about any aspect of CAMRA Membership, contact CAMRA Membership Services membership@camra.org.uk or phone 01727 867201.
© South Herts CAMRA Branch & Tony Dawes
11 May 2007
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